SQL 2008 R2 Cluster Setup: Easy? Not So Much.
The SQL Server 2008 R2 setup program crashes sometimes leaving you with a "half installed" instance: this is about how I repaired the setup on a populated cluster.
Thinking Time
Do you get time to stop and think, without being pressured to solve a specific problem? Steve Jones notes that it's important to get that creative time to grow and produce better work.
7 Preventable Backup Errors
The loss of a company's data is often enough to put the company out of business; and yet backup errors are generally avoidable with the application of common sense rather than deep technical knowledge. Grant digs into memories of his long experience of giving forum advice, to come up with the most easily preventable backup errors.
Little Love Lost for SMO
SMO is a very useful way of automating a wide range of routine database jobs, but Phil Factor laments Microsoft's apparent ambivalence towards the technology, including a lack of anything remotely resembling adequate documentation.
Stress – It’s Not Fair
Today we have a guest editorial from Andy Warren that looks at stress and how it impacts your job. He offers a few ways that you might better deal with it as well.
TSQL Challenge 70 - Find the longest sequence of alphabets in a string
This challenge invites you to identify the longest sequence of alphabets from a string.
Data Mining Model Training Destination in SQL Server Integration Services
How to incorporate data mining directly into the Data Flow of SQL Server 2008 R2 Integration Services-based packages.
A VB.NET toolkit for writing SSIS Script Tasks
This article demonstrates basic VB.NET code that will enable SSIS package developers to write useful custom SSIS script tasks.
Snack Attack
This editorial was originally published on Jan 11, 2007 and is being re-run as Steve is on vacation. A fun poll today asking what you like to eat at work.
SQL Server stored procedure to generate random passwords
SQL Server is used to support many applications and one such feature of most applications is the storage of passwords. Sometimes there is a need to reset a password using a temporary password or generate a random password for a new user. In this tip I cover a simple stored procedure to generate random passwords that can be incorporated into your applications.
Blogs
Claude AI Convinced Me Not to Build an iPad App
By Steve Jones
I coach volleyball and I do a lot of stat stuff on paper. I...
A New Word: Dolorblindness
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
Claude Code Helps Analyze Test Data Manager Log Files
By Steve Jones
I had a customer ask about analyzing their Test Data Manager (TDM) usage to...
Forums
Data Warehouse Toolkit meets Star Schema: The Complete Reference
Is there a good syllabus for reading these two together? (Yes, it's called the...
GPX distance and time analysis in SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item GPX distance and time analysis...
The DBA is Dead; Long Live the DBA
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The DBA is Dead; Long...
Question of the Day
Changing the AG Listener
In SQL Server 2025, if I want to remove an IP from a listener, what do I do?
See possible answers